TEMECULA: Baby shower honors military moms

When Murrieta resident Reyna Reyna's daughter died years ago,
then her husband was deployed a month later, she said one thing
that helped her survive the tragedy was the military community's
loving response.

"I had food three times a day outside my door," Reyna said. "I
couldn't tell you who did it. It made me see the military is a
family."

Years later, Reyna is doing her part to teach the Southwest
County military community members to love and support one another
and learn about the many resources the military offers its
families, especially those who don't live on base.

Among Reyna's many efforts is an annual baby shower for military
moms who are active duty, or their spouses are, and who are
expecting or recently gave birth.

Reyna helps host it in conjunction with the nonprofit Soldiers'
Angels military outreach organization.

The shower was Saturday at Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School in
Temecula, where nearly 50 military moms from across the region
converged to play games, chat, eat dessert and take home armloads
of free gifts and fliers touting information on a variety of
military resources.

"We have so many families that live out here, and if they don't
go to Camp Pendleton or March Air Reserve Base or Miramar (Marine
Corps Air Station), then they are not aware of all the programs
available," Reyna said. "I am excited for them. I never had all
this support when I had all my rugrats."

Reyna is a civilian; however, her husband has served in the
Marine Corps for 27 years and been deployed 15 times. In addition
to the baby shower and other efforts, Reyna helps oversee a
military ministry based at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic
Church in Temecula and a military parent advisory committee for the
Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

On Saturday, the military moms played baby-shower games, such as
guessing the kind of unlabeled baby food they taste-tested, as they
sat around tables and talked.

Meanwhile, Reyna made sure the women made connections.

"Where do you live?" she asked two moms sitting alone at one
table.

Temecula and Murrieta, the women answered.

"Then come sit over here at this table," Reyna told the women.
"This is the Temecula and Murrieta table."

The ladies got up and moved, introducing themselves to their new
table mates.

"This is all about getting to know each other," Reyna then
called out to the group.

Several moms said they appreciated the baby shower.

"This is number four for me, and I am glad they have this," said
Bridget Haulman, 28, of Oceanside. "I think it's great. They didn't
have this when I had my other three."

Haulman said her husband has been deployed twice, and it's never
easy. Perhaps the most difficult moment was when he returned after
a deployment and their 1-year-old son didn't recognize him.

"That was probably the hardest thing in the Marine Corps," she
said.

Carisa Anderson, 34, said she is new to the Marine Corps
community, having served in the Army for four years and now in the
National Guard.

Due in three weeks with a baby girl, Anderson said she doesn't
get out very much, so it was nice to meet new military families.
And she said she appreciated the gifts.

"Anything and everything helps," said Anderson of Oceanside.

Items the women received included blankets, clothes, pacifiers,
bottles, books, wipes, quilts, cribs and diapers. Many of the items
were donated by local businesses, St. Catherine's and local JROTC
groups, as well as through Soldiers' Angels.

Reyna said she has received a lot of positive feedback about the
baby shower, now in its third year.

"They are very grateful the community is reaching out to them
and offering them support," she said.